The primary goal of this site is to provide mature, meaningful discussion about the Vancouver Canucks. However, we all need a break some time so this forum is basically for anything off-topic, off the wall, or to just get something off your chest! This forum is named after poster Creeper, who passed away in July of 2011 and was a long time member of the Canucks message board community.

Apart from the two host nations Poland and the Ukraine, that are ranked 65th and 50th in the world by FIFA, the lowest ranking teams in this tournament is the Czech Republic (#26) and Ireland (#18). For comparisson, Canada is ranked 75th in the world.

It's not like the World Cup, where you always have at least one weak team per group.
Here you have to stay on your toes every single game.

I think the question should be which team leaves the field first due to the racial slurs being thrown around by the hooligans in Poland/Ukraine? The Dutch were apparently taunted yesterday and Balotelli has said he will walk off the pitch if he hears something similar...

Aye, young Airhead andd Auld Donnabie may be correct in their assessment of whiny divers...boot, I reckon their is no such beast ass Shut Down Soccer on account of the hand ball rule...all offensive, most of the time

I caught a bit of the Ireland - Croatia game waiting to take my daughter to baseball.

Pretty much the same.

It would be interesting if they ever enforced some form of a diving rule.

There is a diving rule, and they do enforce it when it's way too obvious, but keep in mind that they are running at full speed, and if they do lose their balance, it will look spectacular, so the refs can't hand out a yellow card every time a guy falls without a foul. More often than not it may be involuntary. I agree though that there s a tendency to award too many free kicks when a guy falls dramatically. The refs should be a bit less keen to blow their whistle.

Sweden had a bunch of great scoring chances, but our defense just wasn't up to snuff. The second goal by Shevchenko, a header on a corner kick, there was no one, absolutely no one keeping track of him. He could walk calmly into the slot, then make a short rush toward the ball and heading it in. No single Swede was spotting him! WTF?! Not sure if it's the coach or the players, but he's their best player, it's a corner, and no one makes sure he's kept away from the ball. That's criminal neglect!

Per wrote:Bah! Two goals by old-timer Shevchenko and only one by Ibrahimovic.

Sweden had a bunch of great scoring chances, but our defense just wasn't up to snuff. The second goal by Shevchenko, a header on a corner kick, there was no one, absolutely no one keeping track of him. He could walk calmly into the slot, then make a short rush toward the ball and heading it in. No single Swede was spotting him! WTF?! Not sure if it's the coach or the players, but he's their best player, it's a corner, and no one makes sure he's kept away from the ball. That's criminal neglect!